Emerging Life

"Go away from here and turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of Jordan.” 1 Kings 17:3

 A year ago today, I was so excited because I had orchestrated a surprise for Bruce that he would never forget. It was the weekend when his brother and sister-in-law were surprising him by flying into town for 4 days. For Christmas, our children had given him 2 tickets to a concert of his favorite guitar artist. All along he thought I would join him in attendance but I knew that Jay would share the joy and appreciation of this concert much more than I would have. It was a great weekend and things went perfectly from start to finish. As they flew out that following Tuesday, the virus situation ‘flew in’ just as quickly within days. I’ve said a million times over the past year that little did I know that weekend would be the last time for a long while that we would experience unadulterated fellowship and the celebration of gatherings. We were all abruptly amputated from our lives…our churches…our schools…our celebrations…our shopping…our enjoyment of restaurant dining with friends. More than one time I have expressed how we were experiencing unprecedented circumstances…isolation…quarantines…social distancing. But this morning as I read my Bible study, I realized that these words describe a season in the life of Elijah thousands of years ago.

‘Turns out though, this idea of setting oneself apart has long been part of God’s process in developing His people for usefulness and impact.’ Elijah, Priscilla Shirer, p. 48. Elijah was living in the hustle and bustle of a busy region where government had just mandated the worship of numerous gods. No doubt he enjoyed meals with friends, shared his faith with others, and was involved with many of the same activities we enjoy. But just like last year there was a day when God’s mandate drew a line in the sand between his old life and a new life…his past ministry and a future ministry. The mandate came with the same thing ours came with…isolation…social distancing…solitude…a complete sever from community. Through that season Elijah met its challenges with frustration and loneliness I am sure just like we have experienced. But Elijah allowed God to transform his heart and renew his mind into new lessons and disciplines. Did he emerge from his quarantine a greater servant than when he started? Most definitely. Did he distance himself from things that hindered him in his old life when he discovered his new life? Most assuredly.

I began wondering this morning, did we? Have we let go of the things God wanted us to relinquish during this past year? Have we ‘hidden’ ourselves in the brook of the ‘Living Waters’? Did we turn eastward towards the face of God for fellowship, community, and intimacy? I pray that I will emerge from this season with new resolve and a new focus in Christ. I pray that we will all leave a host of those ‘fallen soldiers’…bad habits, bad attitudes, and self-focus...on the battlefield instead of dragging them into our new future. Every day we inch closer and closer to emerging from our isolation, and I pray that like Elijah history will write our story of changed hearts, focused allegiance to God, and greater service in the Kingdom of God.